Dental care in Ho Chi Minh City for foreigners: crowns, implants and 2026 prices

Plenty of people land in Ho Chi Minh City with a dental plan already in mind: a crown they have been putting off, an implant quote from home that made them wince, or a Japanese or Chinese-speaking family member who wants to compare. Others just crack a tooth on a bánh mì. Either way, the questions are the same: what is a fair price, how do I know the clinic is legitimate, and how long do I need to stay?

The prices below are ranges from published 2026 price lists. Your real quote only exists after an examination and X-rays.

Ho Chi Minh City dental prices, 2026

Crown and implant ranges come from BookingCare's 2026 survey of Ho Chi Minh City clinics; scaling from Tâm Đức Smile's price list; check-up, the low end of scaling, filling and extraction from the posted prices of Nha khoa Minh Anh on BookMe. For a sense of the exchange rate, Elite Dental converts 30,000,000₫ to about US$1,165. Compare live prices under dentists in Ho Chi Minh City.

What an implant in Saigon really costs

BookingCare names three price drivers: the implant brand, the condition of your jawbone and the clinic's standing. Fixtures generally climb in price from Korean to French, American and then Swiss.

The word that causes most confusion is "all-inclusive". Some quotes cover only the fixture and abutment, with the crown adding 4 to 8 million. Bone grafts and sinus lifts are almost always separate. Ask for a written, itemised quote:

• Fixture (brand and line)
• Abutment
• Crown (material)
• 3D CBCT scan
• Bone graft or sinus lift, if needed
• Follow-up visits included

Clinics that market to international patients often quote a single package price. Elite Dental, for example, lists a Korean-system implant at 30,000,000₫ and Straumann at 46,000,000₫, including CBCT, surgery, abutment and crown. Neither figure is better or worse; just make sure you are comparing like with like.

How many trips does an implant take?

After the fixture goes in, bone needs 3 to 6 months to integrate. Dental Trip suggests international patients stay at least 3 to 7 days for placement and post-operative checks, fly home to heal, then return for the final crown. If you only have two weeks in Vietnam, be cautious of anyone promising a finished implant in one visit before they have seen a scan.

Implants are not right for everyone. Your dentist should assess bone density, general health and smoking before recommending one.

Crowns: which material?

• Back teeth, durable, mid budget: zirconia at 5 to 6 million is the balanced pick.
• Front teeth, natural translucency: Emax at 6 to 8 million.
• Healthy teeth, you just want a new colour or shape: ask about veneers, which remove less tooth.
• Tightest budget: metal-ceramic at about 1.2 million, though the gum line may darken later.

A crown means permanently reshaping a natural tooth. A good dentist will tell you when a filling or whitening is enough. If a clinic proposes crowning a full smile at your first consultation, get a second opinion.

Checking a clinic in five minutes

Look it up on the Department of Health portal

Since October 2024 the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has run a public lookup portal at tracuu.medinet.org.vn. The site is in Vietnamese, but searching by clinic or dentist name is straightforward, and a browser translation works well. It shows the operating licence number, address, licensed staff, scope of practice and any administrative penalties.

Check three things:

1. The licensed address matches where you are going. Ward names changed in the July 2025 reorganisation (Vietnam now has 34 provinces and no districts), so the old District 10 area, for example, now sits in wards such as Vườn Lài. Match on street and house number.
2. The dentist treating you is listed as licensed staff.
3. The scope covers dentistry, including surgery if you are having implants.

Questions to ask before you sign

• How long is the warranty, and what does it cover: fixture, crown or both? Do you need regular check-ups to keep it valid?
• Will I get a warranty card listing the implant brand and lot number?
• Can you issue a VAT invoice?
• Will you send my X-rays and records in English so a dentist at home can follow up?

Practical tips for expats and visitors

• Language: check the languages listed on each venue page. If you need Japanese, Korean or Chinese, message the clinic on Zalo before booking rather than assuming.
• Paperwork: bring your passport or residence card, a list of current medication and any previous X-rays.
• Insurance: most international policies reimburse afterwards, so keep the VAT invoice and a signed treatment plan.
• Payment: many clinics take cards; smaller bills can go through VietQR, MoMo or ZaloPay.
• Where to look: foreigners mostly search around former Districts 1, 3 and 7 (Phú Mỹ Hưng) and Thảo Điền. Heading to the coast? See dentists in Da Nang, such as Đà Nẵng Smile Dental.

Booking a dentist on BookMe

On BookMe, simple treatments like check-ups, scaling and fillings have posted prices, while implants and crowns usually start with a consultation. Bookings are confirmed on Zalo, you can cancel free up to 4 hours before, and reviews come only from patients who completed a visit. Look for the Verified badge, and still run your own licence check as above.

If tooth pain comes with facial swelling, fever or trouble swallowing, do not wait for a routine appointment. Go to a clinic or a hospital with a dental and maxillofacial department straight away.